Breaking: North Texas hires Iowa State Assistant Director of Player Personnel to coach Linebackers

[TheReal_jayD]

 

 

 

https://cyclones.com/sports/football/roster/coaches/colby-kratch/1866

Edited December 29, 2022 by TheReal_jayD

[UNT Texas Hooligan]

4 minutes ago, TheReal_jayD said:

 

We are becoming Ames South lol

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Colby Kratch is in his fifth season as an Assistant Director of Player Personnel after working as a graduate assistant for the Cyclone defense in 2017.

Iowa State’s last four recruiting classes were rated in the Top 50 according to 247Sports, including the 2022 group which is considered the best recruiting class in school history, as both 247Sports and Rivals listed it in the Top 25 nationally. 

Kratch has witnessed incredible improvement during his time in Ames. The Cyclones have qualified for five-straight bowl games, annually appeared in the national rankings and totaled five of ISU’s six above-.500 conference seasons in the history of the Big 12 Conference (1996-present) since 2017.

The 2020 season was historic in many ways. Iowa State finished the regular season in first place in the Big 12 standings, made the Big 12 Championship game and qualified for a New Year’s Six bowl for the first time in school history.

The Cyclones capped off the season with a 34-17 win over Oregon in the PlayStation Fiesta Bowl.

ISU’s eight conference wins and nine overall wins eclipsed or tied school records, and the Cyclones earned their highest ranking in school history during the season (#6) and postseason (#9).

Kratch worked with the Cyclone defense in 2017, helping the team rank second in the Big 12 and 26^th nationally in scoring defense (20.9), and third in the Big 12 in total defense (366.2).

Prior to his arrival in Ames, Kratch spent two years (2015-16) as a graduate assistant at Michigan State, working primarily with the offensive line. The Spartans won the Big Ten Championship, compiled a 12-2 record and qualified for the College Football Playoff in his first season in East Lansing in 2015.

Kratch was a two-year letterwinner at tight end for Toledo (2011-12) after competing two years of junior college football at North Dakota State College of Science from 2009-10.

Kratch earned his bachelor’s degree in broadcasting from UT in 2013.

Following graduation, Kratch was an offensive intern for the Rockets in 2014 and an offensive graduate assistant in 2013 for Matt Campbell’s staff.

A native of Watertown, Minnesota, Kratch was a three-year letterwinner in football and hockey at Watertown-Mayer High School. He made all-conference in football as a senior.

Kratch’s father, Bob Kratch, played eight years in the NFL for the New York Giants and New England Patriots. He was a two-time All-Big Ten selection at Iowa (1986 and 1988).

Kratch and his wife, Taylor, have a daughter, Colbie.

Coaching Experience
2018- Iowa State – Assistant Director of Player Personnel
2017 Iowa State – Graduate Assistant
2015-16 Michigan State - Graduate Assistant
2013-14 Toledo - Graduate Assistant

Edited December 29, 2022 by UNT Texas Hooligan

[keith]

Anyone know what the formal role and responsibilities are for a college football Assistant Director of Player Personnel?

[Venson]

What coaching has this guy done? Doesn't seem like he has really done any coaching. I don't feel good about this one. All I see is "Kratch worked with the Cyclone defense in 2017" and that was as a grad assistant. He was then moved to Assistant Director of Player Personnel. So not much coaching experience on the defensive side of the ball except that one year as a grad assistant. Definitely not jumping for joy on this one.

Edited December 29, 2022 by Venson

[Side.Show.Joe]

I understand Caponi wanting to hire guys for the Iowa State staff, since they already understand the system, but I'm skeptical of this guy's actual coaching experience with LB's. 

Edited December 29, 2022 by Side.Show.Joe

[KingDL1]

https://meangreensports.com/sports/football

I did not know we had an OC picked

[KingDL1]

Also why isn't Caponi main responsibility DC?

It reads like Corners are his primary job. 

[Side.Show.Joe]

7 minutes ago, KingDL1 said:

https://meangreensports.com/sports/football

I did know we had an OC picked

So Daivs will serve as the WR coach and hold the title of OC, while Morris runs the show?

Edited December 29, 2022 by Side.Show.Joe

[cousin oliver]

 

[Side.Show.Joe]

Just now, KingDL1 said:

Also why isn't Caponi main responsibility DC?

It reads like Corners are his primary job. 

Well, he was really successful as the DB coach at Iowa State. I'm actually glad he will be directly coaching our secondary. Hopefully it will be a strength next season. 

[UNT Texas Hooligan]

15 minutes ago, KingDL1 said:

https://meangreensports.com/sports/football

I did not know we had an OC picked

I noticed that too. Kind of came out of nowhere. I would imagine he is OC in title only and is mainly quality control with Morris running the actual show...

[El Paso Eagle]

39 minutes ago, keith said:

Anyone know what the formal role and responsibilities are for a college football Assistant Director of Player Personnel?

I was thinking the same thing
https://d1promotion.com/what-does-a-director-of-player-personnel-do-on-a-college-football-team/

 

[TalonsUp]

17 minutes ago, El Paso Eagle said:

I was thinking the same thing
https://d1promotion.com/what-does-a-director-of-player-personnel-do-on-a-college-football-team/

 

Never coached linebackers? It’s like passwaters all over again. 

[herewego]

Yeah this is a weak hire and an obvious potential misfire for Morris & Co

[El Paso Eagle]

1 minute ago, herewego said:

Yeah this is a weak hire and an obvious potential misfire for Morris & Co

Do some of you guys just sit back hoping for something you can crap on? How about we see what happens in the Spring before you start this.

[herewego]

1 minute ago, El Paso Eagle said:

Do some of you guys just sit back hoping for something you can crap on? How about we see what happens in the Spring before you start this.

Nah I just wish we hired more experienced position coaches especially with a new HC, OC, DC in first time roles. Its a D1 coaching job we should of had more quality to pick from than an ex TE with no Texas ties. Everyone gets a chance but you can definitely hold skepticism on a hire like this.      

[TalonsUp]

7 minutes ago, herewego said:

Nah I just wish we hired more experienced position coaches especially with a new HC, OC, DC in first time roles. Its a D1 coaching job we should of had more quality to pick from than an ex TE with no Texas ties. Everyone gets a chance but you can definitely hold skepticism on a hire like this.      

I guess we will offset the absence of defensive Texas recruiting on using money on staffing off field recruiting personnel that can’t visit off campus smh

[Mean Green 93-98]

The jury will definitely be out on this one.  But for now I'll trust those whose job it is to know about these things, and welcome him to Mean Green Nation.

[jtm0097]

I like the DC hire. I'm not sure what to think about the LBs coach. He doesn't have a lot of experience coaching on the field. Hopefully the DL coach is a very experienced hire.

[keith]

58 minutes ago, El Paso Eagle said:

I was thinking the same thing
https://d1promotion.com/what-does-a-director-of-player-personnel-do-on-a-college-football-team/

 

I suppose it can be slightly different for each program, but according to the article the Director is responsible for three primary areas:

They are responsible for overseeing recruiting, managing scouting, and coordinating team travel.

(all three important, but one of these things is not like the others!).  Anyway, I suppose the Assistant Director may assist in all three areas or could be assigned one area of responsibility by the Director.   

[TalonsUp]

17 minutes ago, jtm0097 said:

I like the DC hire. I'm not sure what to think about the LBs coach. He doesn't have a lot of experience coaching on the field. Hopefully the DL coach is a very experienced hire.

Iowa st runs a 3-5-3 so our assistant personnel director is coaching a good amount of defensive players that’s my reasoning for being so skeptical 

Edited December 29, 2022 by TalonsUp

[97and03]

37 minutes ago, herewego said:

Nah I just wish we hired more experienced position coaches especially with a new HC, OC, DC in first time roles. Its a D1 coaching job we should of had more quality to pick from than an ex TE with no Texas ties. Everyone gets a chance but you can definitely hold skepticism on a hire like this.      

Exactly. Was waiting to judge the DC hire based on who they got to support him. This ain’t the type of guy I was expecting.

[Green Crazy]

1 hour ago, El Paso Eagle said:

Do some of you guys just sit back hoping for something you can crap on? How about we see what happens in the Spring before you start this.

Speaking as one of "crappers", to the other side of that coin...there are quite a few on here that are overly optimistic for little more than a fresh regime and a small sample size of success.  There have been some good hires, but more questionable ones, IMO.  Honestly, nobody knows what will happen until 2023 kicks off. I will say that, so far it seems we are going real heavy on the Jimmy and Joe's strategy than X's and O's.  

[ntmeangreen11]

I don't look at this hire the same way I did Passwaters, he wasn't even a defensive coach, had a clear (family) connection to the DC and it was obvious that's why he was hired. Caponi is vouching for him because he believes in him not because he happens to be married to his daughter. 

[outoftown]

Hmmm. Sounds like someone who has all the experience recruiting. This staff is really gonna be heavy on that part. But he is gonna coach linebackers? From the CV he's never even played or coached the defensive side of the ball, let alone linebackers. Sure hope Caponi knows what he is doing there, because from the outside this one is a head scratcher.

Edited December 29, 2022 by outoftown